Private Healthcare Advocates in Alicante for its Role as a Complementary Pillar to the Public System

El Palacio de Congresos del Colegio de Médicos de Alicante (COMA) hosts the VI National Conference on Private Medicine on May 15 and 16, a key event for the analysis, debate, and advocacy of the professional rights of medical practitioners in the private sector. Organised by COMA and the Spanish Medical Association (OMC), the conference has brought together over 160 professionals from across the country engaged in private and mixed practice.

The opening ceremony featured the participation of the OMC president, Tomás Cobo, and the president of COMA, Hermann Schwarz. In his address, Cobo emphasised the need to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors, an alliance he considers "crucial to sustain our healthcare model, which is a cornerstone of the welfare state in Spain."

Meanwhile, Schwarz highlighted that "Private Medicine is neither a lesser alternative nor an adversary to the public system. It has historically been complementary and collaborative, as evidenced during the pandemic, and today it is essential to sustain the public system as we know it." The president of COMA also stressed the importance of ensuring fair working conditions for private sector professionals, while reminding that medical practice must always be guided by ethical and deontological criteria, under the supervision of Professional Colleges.

The conference programme, which can also be followed online, includes analysis panels on issues such as healthcare equity, professional reconciliation, legal protection for self-employed doctors, and the challenges of digitalisation and cybersecurity in private electronic prescriptions. The effects of the draft Framework Statute, proposed by the Ministry of Health, on the professional practice of the medical community will also be addressed.

Among the prominent speakers was Ana Pastor, president of the Mutual Insurance Group (AMA), former Minister of Health, and former President of the Congress of Deputies. Pastor advocated for greater integration between public and private systems, particularly regarding the interoperability of health information systems. "Private medicine must advance hand in hand with the public, reinforcing synergies to improve patient care at all levels," she stated.

The first day concluded with a debate focused on whether private medicine poses a threat to the equity of the Spanish healthcare system, one of the key issues raised during the meeting. Participants agreed that both models can and should coexist harmoniously if the appropriate regulatory and coordination mechanisms are established.

In addition to its value as a professional forum, holding this conference in Alicante strengthens the city's position as a venue for scientific and medical events, contributing to its national projection within the healthcare sector. The choice of Alicante as a venue also highlights its growing importance in the national medical agenda and its capacity to host high-level congresses.